Lone Rider
by luvsanime02
Summary: Bucky doesn't want to be at this fair, but maybe he's changing his mind.


**Disclaimer: **I don't own Marvel comics or characters or movies, and am making no money off of this fic.

**AN: **Written for the September 13th Winterhawk Mandatory Fun Day prompt found here: mandatoryfunday . tumblr .com(/)post/187595035218/hi-there-i-want-you-to-know-that-i-love-and. (Without the spaces and parentheses.)

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**Lone Rider **by luvsanime02

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Bucky gets bumped into for the hundredth time that day, and just barely manages to hold in a sigh. Becca gives him a look, like she knows exactly what he's thinking.

Well, she probably does, since Bucky was against coming to this medieval fair in the first place. Becca's been wanting to go for months, though. Planned this day out with her boyfriend and some of his friends. And then they broke up, and so of course Becca doesn't feel comfortable going with them anymore, and she couldn't go alone because 'Bucky, what if I run into him there, alone? How pathetic would that look?'

He's not sure that going with her older brother is any better than going alone, but Becca had quietly said please and Bucky had folded, like usual. So, he's standing around at this medieval fair and trying not to grit his teeth at all of the historical inaccuracies around him.

Oh, not from the people who are running the fair. No, Bucky's been pleasantly surprised by the authenticity from those who are being paid to run the shops and entertain the audiences. It's the so-called costumes from most of the crowd that are causing Bucky to wince every few seconds.

To be fair, some people are making up for the rest with some really amazing reproductions. He's trying to focus on those, and not on the others.

Becca guides them towards one of the food stands and the long line waiting for them there, and Bucky gets bumped into _again_.

"Why is it that whenever people are in a crowd, they lose all sense of personal space?" he asks, unable to hold in his irritation any longer.

Becca shrugs. "It's that whole mob mentality thing, I think," she answers, even though Bucky's question was rhetorical. "They don't see anyone else respecting others' boundaries, and so they think that no one has to."

That makes a depressing amount of sense. It's as good of an explanation as anything else. Still, the close press of people all around him is starting to make Bucky feel claustrophobic. "Can we find somewhere with less people after we get the food?" he asks quietly.

He doesn't really appreciate the sympathetic look Becca gives him, but she agrees, so Bucky counts it as a win. They get through the food line quicker than Bucky expects - apparently, the fair has figured out the process of fast service - and then Becca starts leading them towards what looks like a more open area of the fairgrounds.

Bucky looks around with interest, takes a bite of his delicious kebab, and then stops and stares. There's what is quite possibly a god over there riding a horse in a fenced-off pasture. Or a demi-god. Something. He can't be human, looking like that. It's not just the amazing muscle definition that Bucky can see even from where he's standing, or the artistic swathes of paint along both the guy and the horse, but also the seamless way in which the rider keeps his seat on the horse while also firing an arrow from an actual bow every few feet. Even more incredibly, he's hitting the intended target in the center every single time.

Bucky didn't want to come to this medieval fair, but he's definitely changing his mind about the whole experience. A little. "Can't complain about the attractions," he says quietly.

Snorting in agreement, Becca nods. They spend the next half an hour watching the gorgeous guy make increasingly impressive shots with his bow, cheering along with the rest of the small crowd also gathered around to watch. Eventually, though, Becca wants to look at a few more stands, and Bucky reluctantly leaves the demi-god behind.

"We'll come back later," Becca says consolingly. "Maybe then you'll actually talk to the guy instead of just admiring how well he can ride."

Bucky laughs appreciatively, but silently promises himself that he'll do just that. He deserves some kind of reward for this day, and getting the hot archer's phone number sounds like exactly what Bucky needs. He's okay with Becca dragging him around for a little while longer, as long as they come back to the pastures before too long.

All in all, this day hasn't turned out too badly, in Bucky's opinion.


End file.
